The Herschel Museum of Astronomy and No.1 Royal Crescent both achieve prestigious Sandford Award

Bath Preservation Trust is delighted to announce that the learning programmes at two of its museums – No.1 Royal Crescent and the Herschel Museum of Astronomy - have achieved the prestigious Sandford Award for their inspiring work with school children.

The Sandford Award is the quality mark for heritage learning and validation for heritage organisations that offer a formal learning programme which supports the relevant curriculum. Recognition is also given to informal learning such as family programmes and self-guided provision. The award provides a ‘kite mark’ recognised by schools and other education institutions across the United Kingdom.

Bath Preservation Trust’s Learning and Engagement team provides a range of workshops for schools exploring the lives, social attitudes and occupations of Georgian Society. At the Herschel Museum of Astronomy the extraordinary discoveries of William and Caroline Herschel  are revealed. Both museums offer loan boxes and outreach workshops, to maximise accessibility. A new mobile planetarium is also available to provide a fantastic immersive experience for students. Children’s trails and activities are available throughout the year, with special workshops during school holidays. A new programme of adult learning workshops has also been set up this year.

Image: Herschel Museum of Astronomy

Ellie Giles, Learning and Engagement Officer says:  “We aim to offer an informative, immersive and fun experience for all children, tailoring the content of our workshops to support curriculum objectives and their work in class. We know that visits to museums help to embed learning in a way that cannot be achieved in the classroom and so we strive to create a memorable experience for children that will stay with them long after the visit itself.”

Patrizia Ribul, Director of Museums at Bath Preservation Trust says: “We are thrilled that our learning programmes have been recognised by such a hallmark of excellence in heritage learning. This is the third Sandford Award for No.1 Royal Crescent and the second for the Herschel Museum of Astronomy. Not only does this achievement demonstrate the quality of our learning programmes, it is also a testament to the consistency and dedication of our Learning and Engagement team.”

Lead Assessor Hannah Keddie said of the Herschel Museum of Astronomy’s learning programme: “The Herschel Museum of Astronomy, once the home of astronomers and siblings William and Caroline Herschel, provides a space where visitors can explore the significance of their scientific discoveries and gain an incredible insight into Georgian Bath. The education programme developed by the small but dedicated learning team has been shaped by user need and maintains a high quality for both formal and informal learners. By drawing on the unique history of the site from William Herschel’s discovery of Uranus to Caroline Herschel’s status as the first paid female astronomer, they continue to adapt and develop the museum’s very effective offer to support schools in their study of science and local history.”

Image: No.1 Royal Crescent

Lead Assessor David Souden said of No.1 Royal Crescent’s learning programme: “The Royal Crescent in Bath is one of the most famous urban settings in Britain. No.1 Royal Crescent is a magnificently restored town-house museum where you can explore fashionable life in Bath of the 18th century. The house gives learners and general visitors alike a keen sense of how and why Bath was a premier social destination in the Georgian era. The house is beautifully presented, filled with original furnishings and paintings. A house tour is an integral part of a visit for learners, alongside a range of hands-on activities, that all help to immerse the student in the Georgian world. A committed team from the Bath Preservation Trust presents and delivers learning experiences that will live long in the memory and the imagination.”

For more information about Bath Preservation Trust’s learning programmes, visit https://www.bath-preservation-trust.org.uk/learning-and-archives/learning-engagement/.